4.  The applicant was born in 1978 and lives in İzmir. At the time of the events he was a student in the Literature Faculty of Ege University.
5.  According to the “scene of incident” report, upon receipt of intelligence that a leftist group was to hold a march on 27 December 2005 at 11 a.m., in commemoration of a student who had committed suicide in 1997, police officers from the Rapid Response Force (Çevik Kuvvet) arrived at the entrance to the Faculty of Literature of Ege University. At noon, a group of fifty persons arrived, carrying banners and flags and shouting anti-police slogans. The police officers, who had formed a barricade in the grounds of the Faculty with their shields, told the group to disperse. The demonstrators continued walking towards the police barricade and some of them attacked the officers with their flag sticks. The police then used force to disperse the group: they sprayed pressurised water from a panzer tank and started hitting the demonstrators with their truncheons. In retaliation, some of the demonstrators threw stones at the police. According to the Government, eight demonstrators were arrested that day, including the applicant, and eight police officers were wounded by the stones thrown by the demonstrators.
6.  According to the submissions of the applicant, he had gone to the Faculty to attend a class, and did not participate in the demonstration. Nevertheless, he was also punched and kicked by the police officers. As a result, his glasses were broken and he was arrested. In the police vehicle he was beaten again.
7.  Subsequently, the applicant was taken to the Bornova First Aid and Traumatology Hospital, where he was medically examined at 1.15 p.m. on the same day. The doctor who examined the applicant noted erythematous lesions on the right side of his forehead, above the right eyebrow. The doctor further noted that the applicant complained of pain in his feet and legs. The applicant was then taken to the Bornova Central Police Station, where he was questioned. The applicant used his right to remain silent.
8.  At 8 p.m. the applicant was examined again at the same hospital by another doctor, who noted grazes above his left eyebrow, an erythematous lesion measuring 2 x 2 cm on the left temple area, and a bruise measuring 1 x 1 cm and grazes on his right knee. The doctor also noted that the applicant complained of pain at the back of his knees.
9.  On 28 December 2005, at 9.25 a.m., the applicant was again examined at the Bornova First Aid and Traumatology Hospital. The doctor who conducted the examination noted that there was no fresh sign of physical violence on the applicant’s person. He also noted that the applicant had not complained of ill‑treatment during his detention in police custody.
10.  On the same day, the applicant made statements before two public prosecutors in the presence of his lawyer. He contended that he had not participated in the demonstration and that he had been beaten by police officers during his arrest. He further asked the prosecutor to initiate an investigation. The applicant was subsequently brought before the investigating judge and then released.
11.  On an unspecified date the Izmir public prosecutor initiated an investigation into the allegations of ill-treatment during the events of 27 December 2005. In the context of this investigation, the applicant again made statements to the public prosecutor and reiterated his account of the events. He was further asked to identify from photographs the police officers who had ill-treated him.
12.  On 18 October 2006 the Izmir public prosecutor issued a decision not to prosecute. He considered that there was no concrete evidence other than the applicant’s allegation, which was “of an abstract nature”. The prosecutor concluded that the force employed by the police had not been excessive and that the officers had acted within the scope of their duties, given that the demonstrators had been violent.
13.  On 20 December 2006 the applicant’s lawyer, Z.K., filed an objection against the decision of 18 October 2006 on behalf of the applicant and another complainant, G.Ç.
14.  On 16 January 2007 the Karşıyaka Assize Court dismissed the objection. This decision was posted to the applicant’s lawyer, Z.K., on 9 April 2007. However, it was not possible to serve it on her, since she no longer worked at her given address.
15.  On an unspecified date, another lawyer, K.A., filed an objection against the decision not to prosecute of 18 October 2006 on behalf of the applicant and three other complainants, S.G., G.T. and S.İ.
16.  On 23 February 2007 the Karşıyaka Assize Court, after examining the merits of the complaint, rejected the objection and found that the non-prosecution decision was in line with the domestic law.  The decision was served on the applicant’s third lawyer, N.S., on 1 March 2007.
17.  In the meantime, criminal proceedings were initiated against the applicant before the İzmir Criminal Court, accusing him of showing resistance to the police and of damaging State property. On 10 February 2009 the applicant was acquitted of the charges against him. During the criminal proceedings, the court heard evidence from eyewitnesses, such as university lecturers who worked at the Faculty of Literature. According to their statements, while the students had been waiting in the building, police officers had entered it by force, breaking the doors and windows. The witnesses further stated that the police officers had been very aggressive and had used disproportionate force against the students. Based on the case file before it, the criminal court found it established that the police officers had beaten the students with truncheons, and during the incident the doors and windows of the Faculty building had been broken. The court stated that although some of the students had thrown stones at the police officers, it had not been possible to establish who had been involved in the incident. The applicant was accordingly acquitted of the charges against him.